Safe Search Mac Browser Hijacker Virus Removal (Free Guide)

Safe Search Mac is a Mac virus that can downgrade your computer performance and risk your privacy. It is capable of showing unwanted and annoying advertisements on Safari, Google Chrome, and Firefox browser. It can bring other dangerous threats to your Mac if not removed on time. Read this guide to know how to delete Safe Search Mac virus from your Mac.

Threats like Safe Search Mac keep getting back on Mac if all associated files are not removed. So you are advised to use a powerful Malware Removal Tool to run a thorough scan of your mac and delete all threats at once.

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What is Safe Search Mac

Safe Search Mac is an unsafe domain being promoted as a legitimate search provider by cyber crooks. It can be easily classified as a browser hijacker infection that manipulates users’ web browsing to generate illegal revenue.

Once inside your mac, it will firstly infect your main web browser whether it is Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. It will modify your browser settings like a default search engine, homepage, and cookie setting. It will allow permissions to show unwanted notifications and pop-ups to malicious websites. Whenever you will open your browser to surf the Internet, Safe Search Mac will appear as the default page or open a new tab on your browser.

It will show lots of sponsored search results which clearly compromise the chances of you getting desired and real results of queries you are looking for. You most often end up visiting sponsored websites with fake promotions and could get cheated into buying low-quality services or products.

Safe Search Mac on Mac

Safe Search Mac is yet another potentially unwanted program (PUP) for macOS. This dubious threat is capable of silently intruding on your Mac and modify several important settings. It can hijack the main web browser on your Mac device to show unwanted ads during web browsing. Most of the users have reported Safe Search Mac as an unreliable and misleading program with the persistent nature of showing an excessive amount of annoying advertisements on the system.

Like any other unwanted program, Safe Search Mac sneaks into your Mac through illegal means. It will hide into your system and make several unwanted changes without your permission. At first, you might notice some common ads while browsing the Internet, then some pop-up and notification will start showing asking you to click on some links or download some other programs. Actually, it is a tactic used by Safe Search Mac virus to earn commission by referring to other sites or unwanted programs. Many people might ignore such behavior, but these actions can lead to further malware infiltration.

Is Safe Search Mac is harmful

Safe Search Mac itself may not be harmful malware but it surely causes lots of problems. It will bombard your computer screen with lots of unwanted and annoying pop-up ads, banners, offers, surveys, deals, notifications, alerts and etc. Clicking on such advertisements may redirect your browser to harmful websites that host malicious scripts. Your computer can get infected by dangerous threats like Trojan, Ransomware, Spyware, and others.

Since Safe Search Mac has the tendency to make unauthorized changes to computer and browser settings, security experts consider it a harmful threat. It is hard to tell if any program is dangerous or not by first look but users soon find out its evil work. Well, its only motive is to take advantage of your online activities and make an illegal profit through click baits.

It can help cyber crooks to drive illegal traffic to sponsored sites using whatever method necessary like showing ads, redirecting searches, opening new tab ads, and installing new browser extensions for forced web redirection. Moreover, it promotes several malicious links on your browsing screen which can automatically prompt the download and installation of malicious programs without your permission.

What to do after detection

The best course of action after detecting any such activity is to uninstall the application first. But most of the time it is not as easy to remove programs like Safe Search Mac as any other legitimate programs. This kind of threat creates multiple files on the operating system to avoid their removal at once. Usually, when a threat like this alters your Mac, it first tries modifying primary browser settings which include changing the homepage and pointing the main search engine to a fake one. The Safe Search Mac virus will try to stop you from accessing legitimate search tools like Google, Yahoo, or Bing.

Being an adware infection, it can easily deteriorate a user’s web browsing experience by showing tons of unwanted and annoying ads, pop-ups, banners, surveys, and so on. Promotional materials delivered by Safe Search Mac will not slow down your Mac but also cause forced redirection of your browser on suspicious websites. Cybercriminals often deploy such methods to bring extra traffic to their websites to generate revenue and spread malware online.

Risks related to potentially unwanted programs

Some people may ignore the ads and browser redirection caused by the Safe Search Mac virus but it is not good for their system. There are many risks of this type of infection which may not be clear at the time but can cause serious damage later. Firstly these kinds of PUPs are used for malware distribution through ads which most people might ignore to acknowledge. It may bring harmful programs to your Mac without your knowledge.

Browser hijacking also gives Safe Search Mac virus complete authority to monitor users’ online activities and collect personal data. It can gather all the surfing history, search queries, saved passwords, Geo-location, IP address, and other crucial information. It may also transfer that collected information to a remote server to be used to show personalized ads or sold to third parties. Your complete privacy can be at risk in no time and you might become a victim of cyber fraud. It is very important to get rid of Safe Search Mac if you want to protect your privacy and system security.

Safe Search Mac extension and hidden files

Upon successful infiltration of your Mac, Safe Search Mac may bring some add-ons or extensions on your computer. It may also create some hidden files in the system library due to which may come back after removal. So you will need to delete all the related files for the successful elimination of this threat from your Mac. You might need to combine both the manual and automatic removal process to effectively remove this threat. You can find this browser hijacker operating as a Safe Search Mac extension.

Safe Search Mac: Threat Analysis

Safe Search Mac distribution is a bit tricky

Most people might ask how this infection first came on their Mac if they never downloaded it. So they need to understand that developers of threats like Safe Search Mac are highly motivated to illegal profit online. They use PPC campaigns to promote their dubious program and most ads are not checked for any malicious codes or programs. Software bundling is also a very common method used by cybercriminals to promote unwanted potentially dangerous programs. Browsing to porn or torrent sites and downloading to cracked software or illegal files may bring this Safe Search Mac infection on your system. Clicking on misleading ads and pop-ups or allowing fake push notifications may also drop malicious codes on your computer.

Block Safe Search Mac virus on your Mac

As you know the harmful intentions of this nasty malware, it is advised to block this virus on your Mac. You need to take quick action to eliminate Safe Search Mac and stop all the ads, pop-ups, and redirection caused by this program. It is very important for the safety of your computer as well as your privacy. It might not easy to remove it, so we suggest combining automatic and manual removal methods for the successful elimination of Safe Search Mac mac virus. Using a powerful anti-malware tool will a good idea as it will not only save your time and efforts but also ensure complete removal of the virus. We have created a step-by-step guide to guide you through the process.

Automatic Safe Search Mac Removal Guide

As you already know that, Safe Search Mac is a notorious and cunning malware that is not hard to remove easily by any user through manual means. This virus can keep coming back on the infected computer through files and shortcuts or settings that it has already created on your machine. Removing all those at once is the only way to get rid of this infection and stop it from getting on your system ever again.

So the best way to remove Safe Search Mac effectively is to use a powerful Automatic Removal Tool and save your time and efforts. This software is a well-trusted and very powerful anti-malware program that can detect all hidden threats like Trojan, Ransomware, Worms, Spyware, Rootkits, and many others. It is a pretty advanced and effective Mac optimization tool that also provides 24X7 customer support. ComboCleaner is the best app to ensure your Mac safety and keep it fast like new always. If you value your Mac then it is the most important application for you. Try this software once and you will never have to worry about any malware attacks.

How Automatic Removal Works

• First, download the Anti-malware by clicking on the below button.

Geek’s Recommendation

Some time threats like Safe Search Mac keep getting back on the machine if all associated files are not removed. So you are advised to use a powerful Malware Removal Tool to run a thorough scan of your Mac and delete all threats at once.

ComboCleaner Mac Antivirus allows you to scan your Mac for threats and viruses for free, but you will need to purchase a full license to remove found threats. Read ComboCleaner Mac Antivirus Review, EULA.

• Drag installer file to the Applications folder for installation.

• Launch the Program, open Antivirus tab then select Scan Mode, and click on Start Scan button.

• Software will run the scan to find all hidden threats, then click on Remove All Threats button.

Manual Safe Search Mac Removal Guide

Stop Malicious Program From Activity Monitor

• First, you need to open Utilities folder on your Mac system.
• Find the Activity Monitor icon and double-click on it to open.
• Find Safe Search Mac related process, click the cross button from upper left side corner to end task.
• A pop-up dialogue box will appear on the screen, click on Force Quit button.

Remove Safe Search Mac From Application Folder

• First, go to the Dock option (bottom of your screen) then click on Finder App.
• Now you have to open the Applications Folders to see all the programs.
• Find Safe Search Mac or any other unwanted program then move it to Trash.

Remove Safe Search Mac Related Files From Mac

When any program is installed on your Mac, it creates several files on your system that support the functioning of that application. If you need to remove any virus from your Mac, then you need to delete all related files completely. These files could be found at :

1. LaunchAgents
2. Application Support
3. LaunchDaemons

Follow below steps to remove virus related files from these locations:

• First of all press the Command+Shift+G buttons together on your keyboard.
• Now you can see Go To Folder option on your Mac screen.
• Type in /Library/LaunchAgents in the text field and click on Go button.
• Find and remove any Safe Search Mac related or malicious file.

Now follow the same process for Application Support and LaunchDaemons folders. But be careful, don’t delete any important files or you can break down your entire system.

Remove Infection From Your Browser

Threats like Safe Search Mac often install malicious extensions to the browser on the infected machine and make several unwanted changes to the browser settings. You might experience forced browser redirection, lots of annoying pop-up ads, and commercials on your browser due to this. You will need to remove the infection from your browser to put an end to such activities and block the regeneration of malware on your system.

Remove Safe Search Mac From Apple Safari

• Open Safari browser then tap on the Preferences option from the Safari menu.
• Open the Extensions tab, find Safe Search Mac related extensions then click Uninstall button.
• Finally, again click the Uninstall button to remove the extension completely.

Reset Safari To Default

• Open Safari browser, tap on Safari menu, and select Reset Safari option.
• Now check all the boxes and then finally click on the Reset button.

Remove Safe Search Mac From Google Chrome

Note: Type or copy-paste – chrome://extensions in the URL bar of Google Chrome then press the ENTER button to open the extensions page directly or follow the below steps.

• Open Google Chrome browser, click the Menu (⋮) option from the upper right corner.
• Select More tools then click on Extensions option to find all installed Extensions on chrome.
• Choose Safe Search Mac related extensions then click the trash can icon to remove completely.

Reset Google Chrome Web Browser

• Open Google Chrome, click on Menu (⋮) then select the settings option.
• On Settings page, scroll down to the bottom, click Show Advanced settings option.
• From Reset and clean up click on Restore settings to their original defaults.
• Finally, click on Reset Settings button to reset your chrome browser.

Remove Safe Search Mac From Mozilla Firefox

Note: Type or copy-paste – about:addons in URL bar Firefox then hit ENTER button to open the extensions page directly or follow the below steps.

• Open Mozilla Firefox browser, click on Menu (☰) option from the upper right corner.
• Select Add-ons option from the drop-down menu of the list.
• Choose Extensions option to see all installed extensions on your browser.
• Choose Safe Search Mac related extensions then click on Remove button.

Reset Mozilla Firefox Browser

• Open Mozilla Firefox browser, click on Menu (☰) option, and select (?) icon.
• Click on the Troubleshooting Information option from the drop-down menu.
• Then press the Refresh Firefox button and give confirmation.

Once you are done with these settings hopefully your problem is solved. If not, then you can also always download the Mac Anti-virus Program mentioned in this article to get rid of all the threats and viruses automatically. You can also take some precautions to avoid similar malware attacks in the future. Follow the below steps to improve the security of your Mac system.

Tips To Prevent Safe Search Mac in Future

• Use a good anti-virus, be it a free version but don’t use cracked software.
• Make sure that your firewall is active, so it can block upcoming threats.
• Keep your OS and other programs updated to avoid vulnerabilities.
• Download updates only from official websites, don’t use suspicious sites.
• Never download and install pirated software, games, or illegal patches on your Mac.
• Do not open spam emails from an unknown sender and scan all attachments before opening.
• Never download freeware third-party programs from unreliable sources or websites.
• Avoid connecting your Mac to unsafe public Wi-Fi to protect your privacy.
• You can also use a VPN to spoof your connection and avoid malicious sites.
• Create a system restore point on your system for security purposes.
• Keep backup of all your important files to avoid data loss.